Fire-alarm system.



F. X. VERANICH. I FIRE ALARM SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. I2. I9I5 www 2 SHEETSSHEET I.

e 'I3 I RII Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

Illia INI F. x. VERANICH. 'FIRE ALARM sY'sEM.

APPLICATION HLED 1AN.,I2, |915 Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

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FRANK X. VERANICI-I, 0F WEST ALLIS, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FRAK BRANDSTTTER, 'OF ,WEST. ALLIS, WISCONSIN.

Finn-ALARM SYSTEM.

Application filed January 12, 1915` To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK X. VERANICH, a subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hun gary, residing at lest Allis, in the county of Milwaukee and State of TWisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fire-Alarm Systems, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to a thermostaticelectric fire alarm system, and its object is to provide an alarm system which is simple of construction, reliable and eificient in operation, adapted for residences, factories and other buildings, capable of use in conjunction with an outside iire alarm or telephone system, and susceptible of regulation and control to vary the action of the apparatus to give the alarm at any predeter mined temperature or temperatures, as opccasion may' require, as well as to indicate the source of the fire. y

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accom-` panving drawings in whichg Figure l is a diagrammatic sectional elevation of a fire alarm system embodying `my invention. Fig. 2 is a view of the alarm devicel showing the positions of the parts during the alarm action. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the gears of the bell ringing mechanism. Y Fig. 1 is a detailview of the ringing mechanism actuated by said` gears. l Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the alarm device as it appears externally. Fig. 6 is a detail section on line (if-6 of Fig. l 'showing' the adjustable binding post of the' thermostat.

The apparatus includes a thermostatic circuit controlling` de vicefA and an alarm device B controlled therefrom, any number of which thermostats and alarm devices may be includedin a system, installed in a `residence, factory or other building. The thermostat A preferably is of the form shown, consisting of a glass or other bulb 1 containing' a mercury column 2 and provided with temperature graduations, in line` with which are arrange'dcontacts 3, preferably of platinum wire, which project into the path of the mercury column. These Contact wires 3 connected with metallic conducting plates 4 which are'nsulated from each other, as shown at 5. The plates fornifpart of a suitable trame work including spaced guide specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

Serial No. 1,818.

bars 5 and 6, the latter having a series of rack teeth 7. Adjustably mounted upon the bars 5 and 6 is a binding post S, upon which is pivotally mounted a locking dog 9 having teeth 10 to engage the rack teeth of the bar 6, so that the binding post may be locked at any elevation in line with any of the contact plates 4L. rlhe dog 9 has a finger piece 11 by which it may be manipulated and springs 12 for maintaining it in lock engaging position, and it is also provided with a contact finger 13 which is adapted to engage the socket in any of the contact platest, whereby the thermostat may be set to operate the alarm at any desired temperature. A second binding post 14 connects with a contact wire 15 disposedat the lowest temperature pointat which the thermostat is adapted to operate, and connected with the respective binding posts 8 and 14 are conductors 15 and 16 which form part of an alarm starting or releasing` circuit, as hereinafter described.

The alarm mechanism B comprises a suitable casing'17 within which is inclosed an electromagnet 18 controlling a spring retracted armature 19, and with one of the coils Yof said magnet the wire 16 is connected. The armature 19 is connected with a pivoted Vdog `or detent` 2O having a tooth 21 to engage the teeth of a ratchet wheel 22 driven in operation bv a coiled spring 23, designed tovbe manually` wound in any preferred manner. The wheel22 carriesV pins or projections to engage andoperate a pivot trip member 241 which controls a combined detent and switch lever 25,- the upper end of which is movable `under the pressure of said detent intovengagement with a stop pin26. The lower arm` of the lever 25 carries a locking orV stop tooth 27 adapted for engagementwith the teeth of a ratchet wheel 28, said arm being arranged to con trol a spring pressed switch 29 connected with a contact 30 and movable into and out of engagement with a contact l-which is connected with the other coil of the electromagnet 1S by a conductor 32, whereby` in the operation of the device a starting circuit is provided in which the thermostat and electromagnet are arranged and which circuit is closed by the thermostat to throw .thestarting wheel 22 into action and then broken bywrnovement of theV switch 29 out et engagement with the contact 31, so as loo *55, 46 operable at spaced intervals and predetering lever arranged to actuate anoscillatto break the starting circuit'and throw the starting mechanism out of action. In this operation it will be understood that the ywheel 22 will be relocked against movement by the retraction of the armature 19 upon the denergization of the electro-magnet, but that the detent 2,4 will remain retracted and will hold the Acombinedvdetent and switch operating member 25 also retracted to permit the wheel 28 to turn for the actuation of the alarmA mechanism.

The wheel 28 is adapted to loe drive-n by means of a coil spring 33 and is adapted to operate a transmission gear 34, loosely mounted upon thesame shaft or arbor as the ratchet wheel 28. the spring 33 being designed to be manually rewound whenever run. down. A spring pressed clutch or check pawl 35 pivoted to the wheel 34 engages the teeth ot the ratchet wheel 28 and is` adaptedto permit said ratchet wheel to have independent motion during the rewinding action of the spring, while it couples the wheel and gear together Jfor conjoint motion during the unwinding of the spring and operation of the alarm mechanism.

The gear 34 meshes with a pinion 36 which is fixed to revolve with a pair of toothed disks or wheels 37 and 38. The wheel 38 is provided around its periphery with ratchet teeth .except at one point, where the teeth are omitted, which ratchet teeth engage a finger 39 projecting from a pivoted vibrating bell hammer or clapper -41 whichprojects externallyA of the casing 1,7 for coperation with af bell 42 supported upon the exterior of said casing. On each revolution the wheel operates the clapper a predetermined number of times, with an interval of rest.V thereby'indicated bythe number of strokes of the bell that a lire has broken out in some portion ofthe building, the locationfof which is designated by the given number ot strokes or taps.

rI`he wheel or disk 37 is of themutilated type and provided with spaced sets or series of teeth 43 and 4 4, and also withy a set of teeth or projections 45 disposed at one side of said disk and on `a line between adjacent `end teeth of the sets'43V and 44. The teeth 43 are adapted to transmit motion to a. pivoted, vibrating circuit make-and-break lever mined numbers of times by the teeth 43 and 44 to control they alarm circuit for transmitting a'signal to a town or city fire alarm system or to a telephone exchange, indicating that a tire has broken out at the protected point, a designated number of which is given by the number of times the circuit is .made and broken at predetermined periods by the actuation of the member 46. A switch resetting lever 47 is disposed 0pposite the lever 46 and is designed to be operated by the tappets or projections 45 at intervals during the cessation of operation of the lever 4G to insure the retraction of the switch and obviate all liability of its becoming struck or fused permanently in a circuit closing position.

The setting levers 46 and 47 control an intervening spring retracted switch actuating member 48 movable to adjust the spring controlled switch member 49 into and out of engagement with a contact or circuit terminal 50, the said switch being normally in engagement with another contact or circuit terminal 51. The said contacts or terminals 50 and 51 are respectively connected by conductors 52 and 53 with terminals 54 and 55 which connect with main line wires 56 and 57 from a suitable source of current supply, as a battery or alarm circuit system, telephone system or ordinary electric service system, it being understood that the alarm devices which are controlled by the actuation of the switch 49 may be either within or withoutthe protected structure. As shown, the local starting circuit in which the electromagnet 18 is arranged is completed by the connection of the conductor 15 with the terminal 54, and also by the connection of'a conductor 58 connecting the contacts 30 and 54.

In practice, it will be understood that the thermostats may be arranged at desired points throughout a building and set to affeet the sounding of an alarm at any desired temperature, and that the alarm devices, any number of which may be used, may also be placed at desired points within the building, and such alarm or devices connected with an outside alarm circuit when desired. It will also be evident that when a fire starts in any portion of the protected building, the starting mechanism will be throwninto operation to release the alarm mechanism for actuation, which will thereupon not only operate the local alarm signal, but will also operate an outside alarm, giving the exact point of location of the tire.

I claim Y 1. In a thermostatio electric iire alarm system, the combination with a thermostatically controlled starting mechanism, of a spring actuatedmotor controlled thereby, a gear driven by said motor, a disk driven by said gear and having spaced series of peripheral teeth and a series of lateral teeth, an alarm circuit, a switch controlling the same, and switch closing and opening levers controlled respectively by the peripheral and lateral teeth of said disk.

2. In a thermostatic electric lire alarm system, the combination with a thermostatically controlled starting mechanism, of a spring actuated motor controlled thereby, a gear driven by said motor, a disk driven by said gear and having spaced series of peripheral teeth and a series of lateral teeth, an alarm circuit, a switch controlling the same, switch closing and opening levers controlled respectively by the peripheral and lateral teeth of said disk, a second disk driven by said gears and forming a mutilated gear, and an alarm device actuated with intervals of rest by the teeth of said gear.

3. In a thermostatic electric iire alarm system, the combination of a spring actuated motor, a spring actuated starting device, a detent for holding the motor from operation, means controlled by the starting device for releasing said detent, a gear driven by the motor, a disk driven by said gear and having spaced series of peripheral teeth and a series of lateral teeth, an alarm circuit, a switch controlling the same, switch closing and opening levers controlled respectively by the peripheral and lateral teeth of said FRANK X. VERANICI-I.

Witnesses:

S. STAMZAR, JOHAN UHAN.

opies of this patent may 'be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, I). G. 

